Ronnie Wells

Born around 1941 in Farnborough, Hampshire, England, Ronnie Wells grew up as the son of a dance band pianist and church organist whose encouragement first nurtured his singing voice. At ten he picked up the harmonica, and after finishing school he spent time performing with the television variety ensemble Morton Fraser's Harmonica Gang. Drawn to the fresh sound of rock & roll, Wells and two fellow members left that act to found the Viscounts, the British pop/rock & roll trio that must be distinguished from the American group of identical name established the same year. The trio secured modest U.K. chart success in the early 1960s, most prominently with the singles "Shortnin' Bread" and "Who Put the Bomp."

Following the Viscounts' dissolution, Wells earned his living in the 1970s and 1980s as a session player and vocalist whose harmonica work surfaced on television theme songs and on releases by Elton John and Lulu. During the 1990s an appearance on the 50 Wartime Songs compilation, for which he received a payment of only £25, led him to return to recording. Partnering with a local producer and signing to the marketing company AWAL (Artists Without a Label), he delivered his debut solo album, Let There Be Love, which was succeeded in 2009 by the follow-up Sixties Night.